Wammers Album Club Tues 28th Jan, Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

[browellm]

The musical evolution of Sam Beam's Iron & Wine puts him ahead of a number of his contemporaries. His early work starting out with 2002's The Creek Drank The Cradle is everything you'd expect from back porch American Folk, both lyrically and musically.

But Beam has pushed himself and in ten years is now releasing music like Kiss Each Other Clean (2011) and Ghost on Ghost (2013) which is far harder to classify and reveals great lyrical depth, complex arrangements that reward multiple listens and grown up production underpinning it all.

Spotify

Napster

 

[Ozexpat]

I just had a (very) quick run through and it wasn't what I expected. Sure, there is beardy sandal wearing music and I thought I heard a tin whistle, but it's very diverse. Plenty of rhythm changes and electronic noodling.

I won't pass judgement until I've heard it all the way through, but I was reticent now I'm interested.

 

[whizzkid]

Good choice Mark much better than *yawn* Elbow.

 

[browellm]

Poets of our time, Elbow? That Elbow?

 

[The Strat]

New one on me Mark - looking forward.

 

[rockabillybass]

I listened to this when it first came out and wasn't sure about it. It was considerably different to his Will Oldham influenced stuff.

Time to listen again though. :^

 

[MJ.]

Completely new to me. Happy to give it a spin.

 

[lower bullens]

Very good album :^

 

[Jimmy Moff]

I have this on vinyl so looking forward to giving it a spin. I prefer The Shepherd's Dog but this is a good album and I went to see him in Liverpool on this tour. It was the first time I had seen him with a full band, having only seen him do solo sets at festivals before. Someone in the audience shouted out "Judas" in No Direction Home style.

 

[Tel]

My first introduction to Iron and Wine was 'Woman King' which I still love. I have 4 or five of his other records

I have found the later stuff a bit less immediate but worthy of repeat listening.

I bought this on vinyl when it came out and played it quite a bit but never really got into it, it then sat in the rack unplayed for quite a long time before I gave it another go. It was like someone had stuck a different record in the sleeve and I really enjoyed it, not sure what was going on the first time!

It is now a few months since I have played it as Ghost on Ghost has been on the turnrtable far more often.

Looking forward to giving this another spin.

 

[Dayvan cowboy]

If I had to listen to 3 tracks mark , what would they be ?

Cheers b

 

[Dayvan cowboy]

Listening now and the word I'm thinking of is " nice " ...... Not exciting or deep but " nice "

 

[mmar]

Great album!

Our endless numbered days a fave album of mine

 

[ncdrawl]

creek drank the cradle is a DID for me, lost interest after the second album. looking forward to this.

 

[Leonard Smalls]

It's an album of two halfs...

All the odd numbered tracks are deeply bland, wet and generally a bit shit.

However, the even tracks are all grand (though his voice does dampen it a bit; I'll bet he's got floppy hair ;-) ). They're funky, unexpected and with some crazed sounds - excellent!

 

[rockmeister]

^

Odd I noticed that too...I like every other track. The straight soft folk tracks are too soft for my taste (although some of the Lyrics were appealing). Will give it another listen through on Tuesday, but thanks... a new name for me so:^

 

[notaclue]

Thirded! Been a while since I've found myself agreeing with Smalls... This album comes to life with the sax break in track 2, track 1 was like an X Factor winner's single.

Track 7 ('Godless...') is a wetter version of George Michael's 'A Different Corner'. Track 5 is like a Fleetwood Mac outtake. Track 9, too sweet, too bland.

But then track 8 is a catchy, twisted thing. And some more sax. Nice keyboard in track 6. Nice xylophone (I think) and some great guitar-y bits in tracks 4 and 10. Start of track 10 (up to about 3mins) is great.

Presumably an intended odd/even mixture? As above, I like the even, don't like the odd.

Melodically, it's not the best. Quite simple, quite sing-songy. But the even number tracks lift it beyond yer standard alt-folk singer/songwriter stuff.

Definitely a mixed bag!

I have 'Our Endless...' but didn't keep up with rest of his work.

 

[Ozexpat]

I didn't hate it.

 

[MJ.]

Had a listen and I too didn't hate it.

Agree with the 'even numbered tracks are better' posse, although it's all just all bit too twee for me.

Monkeys Uptown and Rabbit will Run were a bit more interesting but the rest is pretty bland.